How to Apply

How to Apply

The Foundation solicits new project ideas through a simple Preliminary Application form available from the Foundation’s grant advisors, Ignite Philanthropy. Grants are approved once a year at the board meeting in September.

Applicants must wait two years from approval of their most recent grant before applying again. Applicants that are not funded also must wait two years before re-applying.

Based on recent history, in a typical year, the Foundation:

Reviews 50 Preliminary Applications.

Requests full proposals from 15-20 organizations.

Makes about 10 grants averaging about $8,000 to $10,000 each.

Spreads the grants around the geographic areas, with the majority of grants to be made in Cincinnati.

Awards Competitive Grants totaling $100,000 or more.

Application Process and Forms

The Foundation solicits new project ideas through a simple Preliminary Application. Please contact Annemarie Henkel no later than April 5 at 513-381-1848 to discuss your idea and request access to the Preliminary Application Form.

Hard copies of the form are not accepted.

Preliminary Applications are due by 6:00 PM EST on April 10 and are reviewed by the board in May. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by May 31, with proposals due on July 14.

For full proposals, the Foundation uses an online grant application process. If invited to submit a full proposal, you will receive instructions at that time for the online application process.

Only applications submitted online will be accepted; no paper copies.

Funding decisions will be announced by September 30 with payment by October 31.

After Grants are Awarded:Progress and Final Reports

A two-page report on the progress of the program or project, and details on the how the grant funds were spent, is due by September 1 of the year following the grant award. The report should restate the objectives of the grant and clearly document how the grant goals were met, what your organization learned from the grant, and what obstacles or challenges you faced during the grant period. In addition, the project budget and actual income/expenses must be attached. A suggested report template can be downloaded from the link above and to the right.